Sunday, December 07, 2014

Insecticides foster 'toxic' slugs, reduce crop yields

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-12/ps-if120414.php

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 4-Dec-2014

Contact: A'ndrea Elyse Messer
Penn State
Insecticides foster 'toxic' slugs, reduce crop yields

Insecticides aimed at controlling early-season crop pests, such as soil-dwelling grubs and maggots, can increase slug populations, thus reducing crop yields, according to researchers at Penn State and the University of South Florida.

"Neonicotinoids are the most widely used insecticides in the world," said Margaret Douglas, graduate student in entomology, Penn State. "Seed applications of neonicotinoids are often viewed as cheap insurance against pest problems, but our results suggest that they can sometimes worsen pest problems and should be used with care."

According to John Tooker, associate professor of entomology, Penn State, recent research links neonicotinoids with negative effects on pollinators and pollution of surface water in agricultural ecosystems, and even with cascading negative effects on aquatic invertebrates and insect-eating birds. However, the effects of these common seed-applied insecticides on soil-dwelling creatures have been little explored.

"Our research suggests that neonicotinoids can have unintended costs, even within crop production," he said.

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"Slugs are among the most challenging pests faced by Mid-Atlantic no-till growers," said Tooker. "Our research reveals that neonicotinoids can indirectly increase slug damage to crops by poisoning insects that eat slugs. As a result, crop yields are lower."

According to Tooker, their results also confirm that predatory insects can provide significant control of slugs.

"This phenomenon dispels the common belief in the United States that insect predators do not contribute to slug control," he said. "It also emphasizes that if growers care for these predator populations they can help with slug control."

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